Where students 'shadow' professionals

December 27, 1999

How can you engage a student in the world of work? Volunteer for the "Groundhog Job Shadow Day," a nationwide effort aimed at giving 1 million young people real-life mentors and career information.

The initiative will take place on Feb. 2, 2000 (Groundhog Day). Professionals in a range of fields and from more than 40,000 workplaces will eagerly "see their shadows" and, ideally, impart to them a little wisdom.

In some cities, volunteering opportunities will extend throughout the year. For more information, visit the site: www.jobshadow.org.

Additionally, Monster.com, an online career network, will host "Virtual Job Shadowing." Students with access to the Internet can watch, via QuickTime video, more than a dozen professionals at work.

A police officer, chef, engineer, and CEO, among others, will be able to answer e-mailed questions about their jobs. The event will last from Feb. 2 to 29.

Among the initiative's coalition members: Junior Achievement, an economic-education program; America's Promise, a youth program sponsored by Colin Powell; and The National School-to-Work Office, administered by the Departments of Education and Labor.